Best Pokémon for Gym Defense and Attack: A Complete Guide for Trainers

When it comes to Pokémon for Gym , battles are the heart of the experience. Whether you’re holding down a gym for your team or raiding enemy gyms to earn Pokécoins, choosing the right Pokémon can make all the difference. But with hundreds of Pokémon available, knowing which ones are the most effective for both attack and defense can be overwhelming.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into the best Pokémon for gym defense and attack, why they’re strong, and how you can use them effectively. Whether you’re a casual player or a competitive grinder, this guide will help you build the ultimate lineup.

Why Choosing the Right Pokémon Matters

Before we jump into the list, let’s understand why some Pokémon stand out more than others.

• Stats Distribution – Pokémon with high CP, strong attack, defense, or stamina stats tend to perform better in gyms.

• Typing – The type matchup (Fire, Water, Dragon, etc.) plays a huge role in whether your Pokémon will dominate or collapse.

• Move Sets – Even a strong Pokémon can feel weak with bad moves. The best attackers have fast, high-DPS moves, while the best defenders have bulky and unpredictable moves.

• Meta Relevance – Some Pokémon remain strong for years because of their consistent performance in raids, gyms, and PvP battles.

With these in mind, let’s split our discussion into two parts: Best Pokémon for Gym Defense and Best Pokémon for Gym Attack.

Best Pokémon for Gym Defense

Gym defense is all about endurance. When you place a Pokémon in a gym, it will stay there until knocked out by an opponent. The longer it lasts, the better.

Here are the top defenders that make life tough for attackers:

1. Blissey – The Queen of Defense

• Type: Normal

• Why It’s Great: Blissey is the undisputed tank of gym defense. With sky-high HP and decent defense, it takes forever to take down.

• Best Moveset: Zen Headbutt (Fast) + Dazzling Gleam (Charge)

• Pro Tip: Place Blissey in high-traffic gyms (like malls or parks). Attackers will often avoid it because of the time it takes to defeat.

2. Chansey – Blissey’s Right Hand

• Type: Normal

• Why It’s Great: While weaker than Blissey in raw CP, Chansey’s ridiculous HP makes it another frustrating defender.

• Best Moveset: Zen Headbutt + Dazzling Gleam

• Pro Tip: Use Chansey if you don’t have Blissey yet. They serve almost the same role.

3. Snorlax – The Wall

• Type: Normal

• Why It’s Great: Snorlax combines bulk with decent attack power. Unlike Blissey, it can actually dish out damage while stalling opponents.

• Best Moveset: Lick (Fast) + Body Slam / Hyper Beam

• Pro Tip: A maxed-out Snorlax can still give top attackers trouble. It’s a reliable all-round defender.

4. Slaking – The HP Monster

• Type: Normal

• Why It’s Great: Slaking has one of the highest CP in the game. Although its fast move, Yawn, deals no damage, its massive HP and strong charged moves make it a time sink.

• Best Moveset: Yawn + Hyper Beam

• Pro Tip: Slaking isn’t the hardest to beat, but it wastes time — and time is everything in gym defense.

5. Metagross – The Steel Guardian

• Type: Steel/Psychic

• Why It’s Great: Steel typing gives Metagross many resistances, making it resilient against common attackers.

• Best Moveset: Zen Headbutt + Meteor Mash

• Pro Tip: Shiny Metagross in gyms looks intimidating, and the stats back it up.

6. Togekiss – The Fairy Tank

• Type: Fairy/Flying

• Why It’s Great: With its bulk and great Fairy typing, Togekiss can counter Dragon-type attackers that are otherwise very common.

• Best Moveset: Charm + Dazzling Gleam

• Pro Tip: Charm deals heavy damage quickly, making attackers regret underestimating it.

7. Dragonite – The Classic Defender

• Type: Dragon/Flying

• Why It’s Great: Dragonite has been around since the early days, and it still works well in gyms thanks to its high CP and strong moves.

• Best Moveset: Dragon Tail + Outrage

• Pro Tip: Place Dragonite later in the gym lineup so attackers are already worn down when they reach it.

8. Milotic – The Water Serpent

• Type: Water

• Why It’s Great: Milotic’s stamina makes it an underrated but solid defender.

• Best Moveset: Dragon Tail + Surf

• Pro Tip: A nice alternative if you don’t have Blissey or Snorlax. Plus, it looks stylish in gyms.

Best Pokémon for Gym Attack

Attacking a gym is all about efficiency. You want to win battles as quickly as possible without wasting potions and revives. The best attackers are strong, fast, and effective against defenders’ common weaknesses.

1. Machamp – The Gym Crusher

• Type: Fighting

• Why It’s Great: Machamp is the ultimate gym attacker because it destroys Normal-type defenders like Blissey, Snorlax, and Slaking.

• Best Moveset: Counter + Dynamic Punch

• Pro Tip: Always keep at least two maxed-out Machamps in your lineup. They’re gym legends.

2. Lucario – The Speedy Fighter

• Type: Fighting/Steel

• Why It’s Great: Lucario combines Machamp’s Fighting strength with resistance from Steel typing. Plus, it charges Aura Sphere ridiculously fast.

• Best Moveset: Counter + Aura Sphere

• Pro Tip: Lucario is rarer, but if you get one, it’s worth maxing out.

3. Conkeldurr – The Heavy Hitter

• Type: Fighting

• Why It’s Great: With higher bulk than Machamp, Conkeldurr is another excellent Normal-type counter.

• Best Moveset: Counter + Dynamic Punch

• Pro Tip: It’s a bit harder to get, but performs nearly identically to Machamp.

4. Dragonite – The Versatile Attacker

• Type: Dragon/Flying

• Why It’s Great: Dragonite is both a good defender and attacker. It has high DPS and can handle a wide range of Pokémon.

• Best Moveset: Dragon Tail + Outrage

• Pro Tip: Great for general coverage if you don’t know what defenders to expect.

5. Garchomp – The Ground Dragon

• Type: Dragon/Ground

• Why It’s Great: Garchomp’s Ground typing gives it coverage against Steel and Electric types, while Dragon moves hit hard overall.

• Best Moveset: Dragon Tail + Outrage

• Pro Tip: Garchomp is bulky compared to Dragonite, so it lasts longer in raids and gyms.

Read More: How to Manage Your Pokémon Storage Like a Pro

6. Metagross – The Steel Attacker

• Type: Steel/Psychic

• Why It’s Great: Metagross with Meteor Mash is one of the best attackers in the game, especially against Fairy types like Togekiss.

• Best Moveset: Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash

• Pro Tip: Always keep one maxed Metagross in your attack team — it never goes out of style.

7. Tyranitar – The Dark Rock Titan

• Type: Dark/Rock

• Why It’s Great: Tyranitar shines when facing Ghost or Psychic defenders like Metagross.

• Best Moveset: Smack Down + Stone Edge

• Pro Tip: A shiny Tyranitar with Smack Down is both powerful and intimidating.

8. Mewtwo – The Legendary Attacker

• Type: Psychic

• Why It’s Great: Mewtwo is one of the strongest Pokémon overall. With massive attack stats and flexible moves, it dominates nearly any matchup.

• Best Moveset: Confusion + Psystrike (or Shadow Ball for coverage)

• Pro Tip: If you’re lucky enough to have multiple Mewtwos, diversify their movesets.

9. Rayquaza – The Dragon Slayer

• Type: Dragon/Flying

• Why It’s Great: Rayquaza is a pure powerhouse with unmatched Dragon-type DPS.

• Best Moveset: Dragon Tail + Outrage

• Pro Tip: Ideal against Dragonite, Garchomp, and other Dragon defenders.

Tips for Building the Perfect Gym Team

Now that we’ve covered the best Pokémon for gym defense and attack, here are some practical tips to maximize your success:

For Defense:

• Use variety in typing so attackers can’t just use one counter.

• Place Blissey or Chansey first to waste attackers’ time.

• Keep your defenders fully powered up — half-trained Pokémon fall too quickly.

For Attack:

• Always bring at least one Fighting type (Machamp, Lucario, Conkeldurr).

• Carry a Dragon attacker for versatility.

• Have a Steel type ready for Fairy defenders.

• Use six different types in your team to cover all weaknesses.

Final Thoughts

Pokémon for Gym are a test of strategy, patience, and preparation. Defending requires bulky tanks that slow down attackers, while attacking requires powerful and efficient counters that can tear through defenders quickly.

To recap:

• Blissey, Snorlax, and Metagross dominate defense.

• Machamp, Lucario, Dragonite, and Mewtwo shine in attack.

• A balanced roster with diverse typings will always give you the upper hand.

At the end of the day, the “best” Pokémon isn’t always about raw stats. It’s about knowing how to use them smartly in the right situation. So power up your team, coordinate with your fellow trainers, and go claim those gyms!